Lock



Nov. 22; 1938. E 5, 5mm; 2,137,967

LOCK

Filed March 25, 1932 2/ Avmwfay Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCK Application March 25, 1932, Serial No. 601,202

Claims.

My invention relates more particularly to that type of locks known as permutation locks and especially as embodied in what are commonly known as padlocks, and an object of my invenr tion, among others, is the provision of a look of this type having means for preventing disarrangement of the tumblers at all times when the parts are in unlocked condition.

One form of a lock embodying my invention 1 and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which t Figure 1 is a front view of my improved lock.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the same.

Figure 3 is a view similar'to Figure 1 but with the front plate removed and showing the parts in locked positions.

Figure 4 is a similar view but showing the parts in unlocked positions.

Figure 5 is a View on enlarged scale of a fragment of the lock illustrating the manner of maintaining the controller lever in its unlocked position when the shackle is in its unlocked position.

ing the position of the parts just before release of the tumblers from the locking lever.

Locks of the type hereinillustrated and described are commonly used upon lockers in schools and other places frequented by children, and it therefore becomes essential to provide means to guard against disarrangement of the locking mechanism as a result of childish pranks when such mechanism is in an unlocked condition.

An advantageous feature in a lock of this type is the provision of means whereby the tumblers will be disarranged when the lock members are returned to their locked positions and this without requiring operation of the permutation operating member for such purpose. 7

A common source of annoyance in the use of locks of this type as heretofore constructed is the mischievous disarrangement of the locking mechanism after it has once been unlocked thus compelling a second operation of the permutation mechanism to again set the tumblers in order that the parts may be placed in looking positions. It is common practice, in the use of these locks, to release the mechanism by means of a knob so that the shackle may be free,.the lock then being hung by the shackle as upon a staple or other device used in securing a door or similar structure. Commonly, in performing childish pranks, the locks are taken from the hook and thrown with a result that the jar occasioned Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showwhen the lock strikes a floor or other object effects a displacement of the tumblers therefore again requiring operation of the permutation mechanism to place the locking members in unlocking positions so that the shackle may be released. This is particularly true in connection with a lock having means for automatically disarranging the tumblers when the shackle is moved into locking position as hereinbefore mentioned.

Again when the parts of a look as heretofore constructed are in unlocked condition the controlling lever may be moved and the tumblers disarranged by thrusting a pencil into the opening for the short arm of the shackle thereby disengaging the controlling lever from the tumblers and enabling the latter to be moved into locking positions as by means of a jar or by the automatic arrangement hereinbefore referred to.

My improved lock, illustrated and described herein, is provided with means whereby the controlling lever is held in engagement with the tumblers whenever the shackle is in position to release the members which it is designed to secure. This improved lo'ck comprises a case 1 of ordinary form and construction and containing a chamber in which the locking mechanism is located, such mechanism comprising an arbor 8 rotatably mounted in the casing to be actuated as by means of a knob 9 located outside of the casing and arranged to be rotated as by means of the action of the thumb and fingers. A series of tumblers i6 is mounted upon the arbor 8 these tumblers being independently rotatable upon the arbor and interconneted for operation one by the other as the arbor is rotated in opposite directions in a manner that will be readily understood, this arrangement, of itself, not comprising the present invention. A shackle of ordinary form and comprising supporting leg and a shorter locking leg I2 projects from the case, the longer supporting leg being secured for rotation within the case and the shorter locking leg being adapted to be Withdrawn from the case in a manner common to padlocks of this type. A shoulder IE on the longer leg is adapted to engage a lip [4 projecting from the inner wall of the case and as shown in Figure l of the drawing, the leg extending through said lip and the latter limiting outward movement of the leg and preventing its removal from the case. A locking notch I5 is formed in the leg 12 near its free end to receive a locking lip 16 projecting from one end of a opposite the lip IB. An unlocking spring I9 is secured within the case and presses with one end against the edge of the lever I1, the tendency of the spring being to rotate the lever on its pivot and release the lip Hi from the notch IS in the leg l2. An actuating lip 20 is adapted to receive the end of the locking leg l2 of the shackle whereby the lever I? is moved into locking position.

The long leg I I of the shackle has an annular retaining groove 2| near its inner end to receive the end of a retaining pin 22 projecting from within a recess in the heel of the lever H to retain said shackle in its unlocked position and as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, said pin being spring pressed outwardly to engage said groove. Any suitable means for securing the pin to the lever may be employed, in the structure herein shown a head on the inner end of the pin engaging a nut secured in the mouth of the recess being shown. The pin is also adapted to engage within a shackle releasing groove 23 extending longitudinally along the leg H from the groove 2i and operating tov release the shackle when retained in its unlocked position and thereby permit it to be moved to its locked position.

In the operation of the device thus far described the parts being in the position shown in Figure 3 requires manipulation of the tumblers by means of the knob 9 in a manner that will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to locate the locking notches 25 in the tumblers in line to receive the tail It. When they are so located the unlocking spring l9 acting as hereinbefore described -will force the shackle outwardly into the position shown in Figure-4 thereby disengaging the locking lever from the leg I2 01 the shackle and forcing the tail I8 of said lever into the notches in the tumblers. In this outward movement of the shackle the groove 23 in the long leg of the shackle moves along the end of the pin 22 which is in said groove until said end is located opposite the annular groove 2|. The shackle now being rotated on the axis of the leg H to release a structure secured by the lock the pin 22 will be locked in the groove 2| thereby preventing the lever ll from movement independently of the leg I I and the shoulder l3 preventing outward movement of said leg the tail I8 cannot be disengaged from the notches in the tumblers I 9 and the latter cannot therefore be rotated into unlocking position. Also the tail !8 being seated in the bottom of the notches 25 and the pin 22 being locked in the grooveZl the shackle cannot be moved inward. This successfully prevents any unauthorized disarrangement of the locking parts when the shackle is in an unlocked position, and thereby avoids any requirement for a manipulation of the permutation mechanism in order to again place the locking parts in position for locking operation.

As a means for ensuring automatic disarrangement of the tumblers when the shackle is forced into its locked position and thereby avoid necessity for operating the knob 9 for this purpose the end of the spring 25 is extended to form a trip '21 to engage a trip stud 28 projecting from the side of one of the tumblers l 0, and as shown in Figure 6 of the drawing. With the parts thus arranged as the shackle is pushed inwardly the trip engaging the stud 28 will be tensioned, as the tumbler bearing said stud will be held from rotation by the tail of the lever IT, as shown in Figure 6, and when the tail i8 is disengaged from the tumblers, just after a slight movement from the position shown in Figure 6, the tumbler bearing the stud 28 will be snapped into locking position, the trip being arrested in its movement by a stop 29 projecting from the wall of the case and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

That feature of my invention just described is also clearly illustrated and described in my application filed Dec. 5, 1930, of Serial Number 509,- 224, claims covering this invention having been transferred from said application which was copending with the present application.

It will thus be seen that although the lock is provided with means for automatically shifting the tumblers into locked position caused by inward movement of the shackle, the latter cannot be moved to. this position unless the'leg i2 is in proper position to enter its opening in the case, and likewise none of the parts can be disarranged until the shackle is in such proper locking position, and when in this position the opening in the case for the short leg of the shackle is covered by the leg so that no device may be inserted to disarrange the lever H.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

1. A lock including a case, locking mechanism located within the case and including a shackle having a short leg to enter an opening in the case, a locking lever comprising a part of said locking mechanism movably mounted in the case and engageable with said leg for operation thereby and tohold it in locked position, and interengageable means upon said lever and shackle, after movement of the latter from its locking position, to prevent locking movement thereof before it is positioned for entry of said short leg into its opening in the case.

2. A permutation lock including a case, looking mechanism located Within the case and including tumblers and a shackle having a short leg to enter an opening in the case, said locking mechanism including a locking lever interengageable with said tumblers to control their movement and to hold them from movement while the shackle is in its unlocked position, and means upon said lever to engage said shackle, after movement from its locking position, to prevent locking movement thereof before it is positioned for entry of said short leg into its opening in the case.

3. A permutation lock including a case, locking mechanism located within the case and including tumblers, a shackle having a short leg to enter an opening in the case, means for controlling movement of said tumblers, means for automatically disarranging the tumblers upon release from said controlling means, and interengageable retaining means on said controlling means and shackle to retain the latter in its unlocked position and prevent locking movement thereof before it is positioned for entry of said short leg into its opening in the case.

4. A permutation lock including a case, looking mechanism located within the case and including tumblers, a shackle having a short leg to enter an opening in the case, means for controlling movement of said tumblers, means upon said shackle for automatically disarranging the' tumblers upon release from said controlling means, interengageable retaining means on said controlling means and the shackle to retain the latter in its unlocked position and prevent looking movement thereof before it is positioned for entry of said short leg into its opening in the case.

5. A permutation lock including a case, a-

shackle movably mounted in the case and having a locking notch in one leg, a locking lever pivotally mounted to enter said notch, a tail on said lever, a set of tumblers movably mounted and having recesses to receive said tail when the recesses are in registering positions, manually operated means for moving said tumblers, means for retaining said tail in said recesses after withdrawal of said leg from said case and means carcarried by said shackle to engage one of said tumblers and forcibly move it from registering position when the shackle is moved to its closed position.

6. In a permutation lock, the combination with a plurality of tumblers having alignable bolt receiving openings, of a bolt having a portion directly receivable in the aligned openings a lockable part normally positively restrained by the bolt but freely disengageable therefrom when said openings of the tumblers are aligned for receiving said bolt portion, means normally out of engagement with a tumbler for mechanically actuating it to bolt restraining position, and means for rendering said tumbler actuating means effective on the tumbler in the manipulation of said part, said last mentioned means comprising a spring for storing energy derived from the motion of said part pending release of said tumbler.

'7. In a padlock, a series of combination tumblers having gatings, a shackle, a locking bolt for said shackle having a fence for cooperation with said gatings, means for aligning said gatings whereby said fence will enter the same to move the bolt into release position relative to the shackle, said shackle being movable outwardly from the padlock when released, leaving said fence in said gatings, means operable by said shackle when reinserted, for withdrawing the bolt from said gatings and moving the same into shackle locking position, and means operable incidentally by said shackle reinsertion for moving at least one of said tumblers after the fence has been removed from its gating.

8. In a padlock, a series of combination tumblers having gatings, a shackle, a locking bolt for said shackle having a fence for cooperation with said gatings, means for aligning said gatings whereby said fence will enter the same to move the bolt into release position relatively to the shackle, said shackle being movable outwardly from the padlock when released leaving the fence in said gatings, and means operable by said shackle when reinserted, for withdrawing the fence from said gatings and moving the bolt into shackle looking position, and means operable during the movement of the bolt to shackle locking position to move one of said tumblers whereby its gating will be removed from an aligned position.

9. In a permutation shackle look, a shackle locking mechanism comprising a swinging keeper operable to move into shackle-retaining position by inserting the shackle, and displaceable from such position by movement of the shackle when the mechanism is in a release condition, permutation-controlled means including disk tumblers cooperable with said keeper to look the same in shackle-retaining position, and adjustable to establish said release condition, means operable when the keeper is displaced for moving into cooperative relation with a tumbler to cause a deranging of said tumbler to effect the locking of the keeper when in shackle-retaining position, and means restraining the keeper from moving into shackle-retaining position until the shackle is inserted.

10. In a permutation shackle look, a shackle locking mechanism comprising a swinging keeper operable to move into shackle-retaining position by inserting the shackle and displaceable from said position by movement of the shackle when the mechanism is in a release condition, permutation-controlled means including disk tumblers cooperable with said keeper to look the same in shackle-retaining position and adjustable to establish said release condition, said keeper having a cooperating part and said tumblers having slots receiving the same when the keeper is in displaced position, means cooperable with the keeper in its displaced position to restrain movement thereof into shackle-retaining position until the shackle is inserted, and means operable incident to displacement of the keeper for moving into cooperative relation with a tumbler to cause a deranging of said tumbler and effect locking of the keeper when it is moved into shackle-retaining position.

ELMER B. STONE. 

